ROUND 1 - 'November Spawned a Monster'

OK we’re a little late for Hallow'een but we were all busy last Friday night trick or treating anyone we could find from the Stockport League.  We’d have tried David Moyes too but he  hasn’t been answering his door for six months - and we didn’t want the Charas to have all the fun with last week’s Fright Night round.

1.

What novel opens with a series of four letters written from Russia by an Englishman to his sister in England?

2.

What often mocked and parodied phrase is the opening words of the 1830 novel Paul Clifford?

3.

The 2002 Oscar (yes that’s the one awarded in 2002) for best actress in a leading role went to the actress who starred in which film?

4.

The film Little Shop of Horrors was directed by Miss Piggy (yes it was!).  In which 1981 movie does her creator appear both as an actor playing an embassy official and as Miss Piggy herself?

5.

Which St Albans band of the 1960s launched the careers of both Rod Argent and Colin Blunstone?

6.

Which current New York band was formed at Columbia University in 2006 and is fronted by Ezra Koenig?

7.

Margaret Thatcher didn’t speak at an election rally on behalf of the Conservatives for fourteen years after 1987 (it seems even they couldn’t stand her) but in 2001 she told a rally in Plymouth “I was told beforehand my arrival was unscheduled, but on the way here I passed a local cinema and it turns out you were expecting me after all.  The billboard read…..” what?

8.

Labour MP Paul Flynn coined the term 'The Prince of Darkness' for Peter Mandelson but how, splendidly, did he refer to Anne Widdecombe?

ROUND 2 - Given theme

All the (non-cryptic) answers are English Cathedral cities

1.

What is the most westerly cathedral city in England?

2.

Truro Cathedral has 3 spires.  Only one other English cathedral has 3 spires. Where is it?

3.

Which city houses one of the four copies of the Magna Carta and has a football team nicknamed ‘The Imps’?

4.

Which city has a railway station called St Davids and a football team nicknamed ‘The Grecians’?

5.

In the comedy series Blackadder, Edmund owed money to, and subsequently blackmailed, the ‘Baby Eating Bishop of.....'  where?

6.

Which cathedral, which was used as Hogwarts Cloisters in the Harry Potter films, contains the tomb of King Edward II?

7.

Edith Cavell is buried at which cathedral?

8.

Izaak Walton is buried in which cathedral?

Sp.

In which Cathedral close is Edward Heath’s former home?  The Cathedral contains one of the remaining copies of the Magna Carta.

ROUND 3 - Hidden theme - "Is the bloody man dead yet?"

1.

Which British city was known as 'Copperopolis' in the nineteenth century and achieved city status in 1969?

2.

Of which actor is this a description: 'He was born in 1925 and died in 1984.  In 1954 he starred in The Robe, the first film shot in Cinemascope.  He was nominated for an Academy Award on seven occasions but never won.'

3.

Whose most recent book is How to Build a Girl?

4.

Which London bridge lies between Grosvenor Bridge and Albert Bridge?

5.

In answer to the question “What is the definition of countryside?” Stephen Fry famously replied “The murder of…....” who?

6.

What is the name of the ITV police drama which ran from 1980 to 1984 and starred Jill Gascoine as Detective Inspector Maggie Forbes?

7.

What name links an Irish comedian, a film star who appeared in Rumblefish and There’s Something about Mary, and the most famous son of Hibbing, Minnesota?

8.

Complete this quotation (spoken by the Reverend Eli Jenkins): “We are not wholly bad or good, who live our lives…….”. 

ROUND 4 - Reversed paired with Round 5

1.

Name the last three British Prime Ministers who did not go to university.

2.

Which team plays at the New York Stadium?

3.

What is the connection between Stephen Hawking, Julian Assange and Alan Turing?

4.

In which building have the most English monarchs been born?

5.

Two properties on a Monopoly board contain the letter Q.  But which property lies between them?

6.

Of the ten footballers who have made the most appearances in the Premiership three are still playing in the Premiership.  One is Frank Lampard.  Name the other two.

7.

Which 1967 film had the tagline 'They’re young….they’re in love…..and they kill people'?

8.

What is the name of the only UK Number One hit single that consists of a word beginning with the letter X?

Sp1

Who is the only player to have scored in four FA Cup finals?

Sp2

Which leading member of the Conservative Party is a graduate of Manchester Metropolitan University?

ROUND 5 - Reversed paired with Round 4

1.

Which 1972 film had the tagline 'This is the weekend they didn’t play golf'?

2.

Who are the only artists who have had a UK Number One hit single whose name begins with the letter Z?

3.

One property on a Monopoly board contains a comma in its title.  But which property lies next to it?

4.

Of the ten leading goalscorers in the history of the Premiership three are still playing in the Premiership.  One is Frank Lampard.  Name the other two.

5.

What is the connection between Truman Capote, Alfred Hitchcock and Captain Mainwaring?

6.

In which building have the most English monarchs died?

7.

Name one of the two members of the current Cabinet who did not go to university.

8.

Which team plays at the Keepmoat Stadium?

Sp.

In January 2014 the first goal was scored in the Premiership which was confirmed by the use of goal-line technology.  It was scored in Manchester by which player?

ROUND 6 - Pairs

1.

The city of Carrara in Tuscany has two main claims to fame.  It was the birthplace of the International Federation of Anarchists, in 1968, and it has been producing and exporting a particular luxury product since Roman times. What is that product?

2.

The Cinque Terre is a lovely series of tiny towns on the Ligurian coast.  It claims to be the birthplace of a particular culinary delight, although according to the label on jars in British supermarkets it is more associated with a city 50 miles to the northwest.  What is the product?

3.

Which TV presenter is the Chief Curator at Historic Royal Palaces?

4.

Which TV presenter is Professor of Public Engagement in Science at the University of Birmingham?

5.

What was the target of the ill-fated Operation Jubilee on 19th August 1942?

6.

Operation Deadstick, which was launched on the night of 5th June 1944, successfully captured bridges (including the famous Pegasus Bridge) over two waterways.  Name either of them.

7.

The mnemonic ‘King Philip cried out for good soup’ is one of many that can be used to remember what system?

8.

Similarly, what might be brought to mind using the mnemonic ‘Two giddy chickens found a friendly quiet turtle cooking dinner’?

ROUND 7 - Pairs

1.

Who composed the opera The Bartered Bride?

2.

From which song do the following lines come:

 "Purple Pie Pete, Purple Pie Pete

 Your lips are like lightning

 Girls melt in the heat, yeah"?

3.

In Chemistry what is the name given to the constant with a value of 6 x 1023 (10 to the power 23) which is defined as the number of molecules in 1 mole of a gas?

4.

Solve the simultaneous equations:

         3x + 2y = 4

 and 5x – 3y = 13.

5.

From which song do the following lines come:

"But her friend is nowhere to be seen

Now she walks through her sunken dream

To the seat with the clearest view

And she's hooked to the silver screen"?

6.

In Physics which constant, usually denoted by the letter h, has the value 6.6 x 10 -34 (10 to the power minus 34) Joule seconds?

7.

Taking the value of pi to be 3, calculate the volume in cm³ of a cylinder with diameter 8cm and height 10cm.

8.

Who composed the opera Lucia di Lammermoor?

Sp.

Which book won this year’s Booker Prize?

ROUND 8 - 'Remember, Remember'

You won’t find much gunpowder or plot in here nor Catesby or Guido himself, but lots of other things have happened on November 5th so how many can you remember?

1.

The 18th President of the United States was re-elected for a second term on this day, one of 31 military men to serve in that office.  Who was he?

2.

Chris Christie is the favourite for the Republican nomination for President in 2016.  Only one previous Governor of New Jersey has become President and he was elected for his first term on this day, the 8th Democrat to become President.  Who was he?

3.

Born this day in 1946, one of the most influential American singer songwriters of the 20th century.  A founder member of The Flying Burrito Brothers he also played with The Byrds, but not as a founder member.  Who?

4.

One of the great villains of the 20th century met his watery end off the Canary Islands this day in 1991.  Who?

5.

The oldest heavyweight boxing world champion in history regained the title this day in 1994.  Who is he?

6.

Another birthday.  He won the Blue Riband event in his sport a record nine times but fell from grace four years after his last triumph in that event.  He’s 79 today.  Who is he?

7.

The towns of El Gamil and Raswa saw what has come to be regarded as the final, impotent and ultimately humiliating act of two European Empires on this day.  The ceasefire happened the following day with the President of the United States and the Prime Minister of India ensuring this military adventure would fail.  What was this event?

8.

On this day in 1854 the Russian army launched its last serious full scale attack on the British, French and Ottoman allies during the Crimean War.  Which battle was it?

Sp.

On this day in 1990 a temporary and frankly dishonourable Mancunian announced that he was leaving his 'mistress' and returning to his deservedly long suffering 'wife' who was close by.  Who am I talking about?

ROUND 1 - 'November Spawned a Monster'

OK we’re a little late for Hallow'een but we were all busy last Friday night trick or treating anyone we could find from the Stockport League.  We’d have tried David Moyes too but he  hasn’t been answering his door for six months - and we didn’t want the Charas to have all the fun with last week’s Fright Night round.

1.

What novel opens with a series of four letters written from Russia by an Englishman to his sister in England?

Frankenstein

2.

What often mocked and parodied phrase is the opening words of the 1830 novel Paul Clifford?

"It was a dark and stormy night"

3.

The 2002 Oscar (yes that’s the one awarded in 2002) for best actress in a leading role went to the actress who starred in which film?

Monster’s Ball

4.

The film Little Shop of Horrors was directed by Miss Piggy (yes it was!).  In which 1981 movie does her creator appear both as an actor playing an embassy official and as Miss Piggy herself?

An American Werewolf in London

(the man in question is Frank Oz)

5.

Which St Albans band of the 1960s launched the careers of both Rod Argent and Colin Blunstone?

The Zombies

6.

Which current New York band was formed at Columbia University in 2006 and is fronted by Ezra Koenig?

Vampire Weekend

7.

Margaret Thatcher didn’t speak at an election rally on behalf of the Conservatives for fourteen years after 1987 (it seems even they couldn’t stand her) but in 2001 she told a rally in Plymouth “I was told beforehand my arrival was unscheduled, but on the way here I passed a local cinema and it turns out you were expecting me after all.  The billboard read…..” what?

The Mummy Returns

8.

Labour MP Paul Flynn coined the term 'The Prince of Darkness' for Peter Mandelson but how, splendidly, did he refer to Anne Widdecombe?

Doris Karloff

ROUND 2 - Given theme

All the (non-cryptic) answers are English Cathedral cities

1.

What is the most westerly cathedral city in England?

Truro

2.

Truro Cathedral has 3 spires.  Only one other English cathedral has 3 spires. Where is it?

Lichfield

3.

Which city houses one of the four copies of the Magna Carta and has a football team nicknamed ‘The Imps’?

Lincoln

4.

Which city has a railway station called St Davids and a football team nicknamed ‘The Grecians’?

Exeter

5.

In the comedy series Blackadder, Edmund owed money to, and subsequently blackmailed, the ‘Baby Eating Bishop of.....'  where?

Bath and Wells

6.

Which cathedral, which was used as Hogwarts Cloisters in the Harry Potter films, contains the tomb of King Edward II?

Gloucester

7.

Edith Cavell is buried at which cathedral?

Norwich

8.

Izaak Walton is buried in which cathedral?

Winchester

Sp.

In which Cathedral close is Edward Heath’s former home?  The Cathedral contains one of the remaining copies of the Magna Carta.

Salisbury

ROUND 3 - Hidden theme - "Is the bloody man dead yet?"

1.

Which British city was known as 'Copperopolis' in the nineteenth century and achieved city status in 1969?

Swansea

2.

Of which actor is this a description: 'He was born in 1925 and died in 1984.  In 1954 he starred in The Robe, the first film shot in Cinemascope.  He was nominated for an Academy Award on seven occasions but never won.'

Richard Burton

3.

Whose most recent book is How to Build a Girl?

Caitlin Moran

4.

Which London bridge lies between Grosvenor Bridge and Albert Bridge?

Chelsea Bridge

5.

In answer to the question “What is the definition of countryside?” Stephen Fry famously replied “The murder of…....” who?

Piers Morgan

6.

What is the name of the ITV police drama which ran from 1980 to 1984 and starred Jill Gascoine as Detective Inspector Maggie Forbes?

The Gentle Touch

7.

What name links an Irish comedian, a film star who appeared in Rumblefish and There’s Something about Mary, and the most famous son of Hibbing, Minnesota?

Dylan

(Dylan Moran, Matt Dillon and Bob Dylan)

8.

Complete this quotation (spoken by the Reverend Eli Jenkins): “We are not wholly bad or good, who live our lives…….”. 

Under Milk Wood

ROUND 4 - Reverse paired with Round 5

1.

Name the last three British Prime Ministers who did not go to university.

John Major, James Callaghan and Winston Churchill

2.

Which team plays at the New York Stadium?

Rotherham United

3.

What is the connection between Stephen Hawking, Julian Assange and Alan Turing?

All roles have been performed by Benedict Cumberbatch

4.

In which building have the most English monarchs been born?

St James' Palace

(5 monarchs were born there: Charles the Second, James the Second, Mary the Second, Anne and George the Fourth)

5.

Two properties on a Monopoly board contain the letter Q.  But which property lies between them?

Fenchurch Street Station

(lies between Trafalgar Square and Leicester Square)

6.

Of the ten footballers who have made the most appearances in the Premiership three are still playing in the Premiership.  One is Frank Lampard.  Name the other two.

Gareth Barry and Mark Schwartzer

7.

Which 1967 film had the tagline 'They’re young….they’re in love…..and they kill people'?

Bonnie and Clyde

8.

What is the name of the only UK Number One hit single that consists of a word beginning with the letter X?

Xanadu

(a 1980 Number One for Olivia Newton-John and the Electric Light Orchestra)

Note from setter, David:

"Apparently X by Xzibit was Number One for five minutes in 2010 but X is not a word"

Sp1

Who is the only player to have scored in four FA Cup finals?

Didier Drogba

(2007, 2009, 2010 and 2012)

Sp2

Which leading member of the Conservative Party is a graduate of Manchester Metropolitan University?

Grant Shapps

(co-Chairman of the Conservative Party and Minister without Portfolio)

ROUND 5 - Reverse paired with Round 4

1.

Which 1972 film had the tagline 'This is the weekend they didn’t play golf'?

Deliverance

2.

Who are the only artists who have had a UK Number One hit single whose name begins with the letter Z?

Zager and Evans

(number one in 1969 with In the Year 2525)

3.

One property on a Monopoly board contains a comma in its title.  But which property lies next to it?

Kings Cross Station

(lies next to the Angel, Islington – on the other side of the Angel is 'Income Tax')

4.

Of the ten leading goalscorers in the history of the Premiership three are still playing in the Premiership.  One is Frank Lampard.  Name the other two.

Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie

5.

What is the connection between Truman Capote, Alfred Hitchcock and Captain Mainwaring?

All roles performed by Toby Jones

6.

In which building have the most English monarchs died?

Kensington Palace

(4 have died there – William the Third, Mary the Second, Anne and George the Second)

7.

Name one of the two members of the current Cabinet who did not go to university.

(either)

Iain Duncan Smith

(Work and Pensions Secretary)

(or)

Patrick McLoughlin (Transport Secretary)

8.

Which team plays at the Keepmoat Stadium?

Doncaster Rovers

Sp.

In January 2014 the first goal was scored in the Premiership which was confirmed by the use of goal-line technology.  It was scored in Manchester by which player?

Edin Dzeko

(Message from setter David:

"I was there and so was Kieran. So too I suspect was Lord Bath"

Message from LB: "Bloody right I was")

ROUND 6 - Pairs

1.

The city of Carrara in Tuscany has two main claims to fame.  It was the birthplace of the International Federation of Anarchists, in 1968, and it has been producing and exporting a particular luxury product since Roman times. What is that product?

Marble

2.

The Cinque Terre is a lovely series of tiny towns on the Ligurian coast.  It claims to be the birthplace of a particular culinary delight, although according to the label on jars in British supermarkets it is more associated with a city 50 miles to the northwest.  What is the product?

Pesto

(alla Genovese, allegedly)

3.

Which TV presenter is the Chief Curator at Historic Royal Palaces?

Lucy Worsley

4.

Which TV presenter is Professor of Public Engagement in Science at the University of Birmingham?

Alice Roberts

5.

What was the target of the ill-fated Operation Jubilee on 19th August 1942?

Dieppe

6.

Operation Deadstick, which was launched on the night of 5th June 1944, successfully captured bridges (including the famous Pegasus Bridge) over two waterways.  Name either of them.

(either)

Caen Canal

(or)

River Orne

7.

The mnemonic ‘King Philip cried out for good soup’ is one of many that can be used to remember what system?

Taxonomy

(kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species)

8.

Similarly, what might be brought to mind using the mnemonic ‘Two giddy chickens found a friendly quiet turtle cooking dinner’?

Moh's Scale

(talc, gypsum, calcite, fluorite, apatite, orthoclase, quartz, topaz, corundum, diamond)

ROUND 7 - Pairs

1.

Who composed the opera The Bartered Bride?

Smetana

2.

From which song do the following lines come:

 "Purple Pie Pete, Purple Pie Pete

 Your lips are like lightning

 Girls melt in the heat, yeah"?

Telegram Sam

3.

In Chemistry what is the name given to the constant with a value of 6 x 1023 (10 to the power 23) which is defined as the number of molecules in 1 mole of a gas?

Avogadro’s constant

4.

Solve the simultaneous equations:

         3x + 2y = 4

 and 5x – 3y = 13.

x = 2, and y = -1

5.

From which song do the following lines come:

"But her friend is nowhere to be seen

Now she walks through her sunken dream

To the seat with the clearest view

And she's hooked to the silver screen"?

Life on Mars

6.

In Physics which constant, usually denoted by the letter h, has the value 6.6 x 10 -34 (10 to the power minus 34) Joule seconds?

Planck’s constant

7.

Taking the value of pi to be 3, calculate the volume in cm³ of a cylinder with diameter 8cm and height 10cm.

480 (cm³)

(Volume = πr2h)

8.

Who composed the opera Lucia di Lammermoor?

Donizetti

Sp.

Which book won this year’s Booker Prize?

The Narrow Road to the Deep North

(by Richard Flanagan)

ROUND 8 - 'Remember, Remember'

You won’t find much gunpowder or plot in here nor Catesby or Guido himself, but lots of other things have happened on November 5th so how many can you remember?

1.

The 18th President of the United States was re-elected for a second term on this day, one of 31 military men to serve in that office.  Who was he?

Ulysses S Grant

2.

Chris Christie is the favourite for the Republican nomination for President in 2016.  Only one previous Governor of New Jersey has become President and he was elected for his first term on this day, the 8th Democrat to become President.  Who was he?

Woodrow Wilson

3.

Born this day in 1946, one of the most influential American singer songwriters of the 20th century.  A founder member of The Flying Burrito Brothers he also played with The Byrds, but not as a founder member.  Who?

Gram Parsons

4.

One of the great villains of the 20th century met his watery end off the Canary Islands this day in 1991.  Who?

Robert Maxwell

5.

The oldest heavyweight boxing world champion in history regained the title this day in 1994.  Who is he?

George Foreman

6.

Another birthday.  He won the Blue Riband event in his sport a record nine times but fell from grace four years after his last triumph in that event.  He’s 79 today.  Who is he?

Lester Piggott

7.

The towns of El Gamil and Raswa saw what has come to be regarded as the final, impotent and ultimately humiliating act of two European Empires on this day.  The ceasefire happened the following day with the President of the United States and the Prime Minister of India ensuring this military adventure would fail.  What was this event?

The British and French invasion in 1956 to retake the Suez Canal

8.

On this day in 1854 the Russian army launched its last serious full scale attack on the British, French and Ottoman allies during the Crimean War.  Which battle was it?

Inkerman

Sp.

On this day in 1990 a temporary and frankly dishonourable Mancunian announced that he was leaving his 'mistress' and returning to his deservedly long suffering 'wife' who was close by.  Who am I talking about?

Howard Kendall

(who resigned as Manchester City manager to return to Everton. At the time I thought this was pretty much treason but frankly given the job he did there…..)